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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22904278">Trust</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean'>im_the_king_of_the_ocean</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Medical Procedures, although hugs are needed, but everyone lives at the end, repairing a robot whose been badly injured</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:27:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>967</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22904278</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>While fighting Grimm, Penny is badly hurt.  Ruby rushes her from the battlefield and repairs her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Trust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="p1">Penny’s body is terrifyingly limp in Ruby’s arms.Penny’s breaths are short, stuttered.Ruby feels her own heart racing with every pounding step she takes.Adrenaline, she knows, is the only thing keeping her panic at bay.The need to get away from the battlefield, to get somewhere safe enough to fully inspect Penny’s wounds overrules all other thoughts.If Ruby is fast enough, this time, <em>this time</em>, she’ll be able to save Penny.</p>
<p class="p1">The dark cave corridor they retreated into opens up into a wide cavern.Ruby skids to a halt at its center.She jerks her head every direction she can, searching for Grimm that thankfully aren’t there.Her friends, all but one, take up defensive positions facing the entrance they came through.</p>
<p class="p1">Jaune, with his semblance already starting to activate in his hands, approaches Ruby.Ruby nods.Together, they descend to the cavern floor.Ruby gently lays Penny down.She props Penny’s head in Jaune’s lap so he can better reach her and amplify her aura.</p>
<p class="p1">Attempting to subdue his own panic, Jaune asks, “Does aura even heal machinery?” </p>
<p class="p1">“I—I don’t know.”Ruby can’t keep her voice from cracking.“But we have to do something!”</p>
<p class="p1">“I’ll keep her going for as long as I can.”Jaune’s reassurance is undermined by the unstated addition of <em>but I don’t know how long that will be</em>.</p>
<p class="p1">“Ruby.”The glow of Penny’s eyes flickers.“I need repairs.Internally.”She inhales a sharp, gasping breath.One of her arms scrambles to move before either Ruby or Jaune can stop her.Penny reaches behind her and pulls a portable tool kit from Floating Array’s storage backpack.She pushes it toward Ruby.</p>
<p class="p1">“I—I—Penny, I don’t know what to—I can’t—I—”</p>
<p class="p1">“I trust you, Ruby.”Penny’s voice is far too calm for the situation.“I can guide you through the steps.I’ve seen you work on Crescent Rose.Your mechanical proficiency is very high.You <em>can </em>do this.”She hesitates.“I would never ask it of you normally, but…”</p>
<p class="p1">Ruby reaches out and squeezes Penny’s hand.“I’ll do it.Just tell me how.”</p>
<p class="p1">Penny shifts her head up to look at Jaune.“Can you close your eyes, please?”She asks him.“I…” her gaze turns downcast.“It’s very personal to me.”</p>
<p class="p1">“Of course.”Jaune reassures her.He closes his eyes so he won’t see Penny while she’s opened.Everyone else pointedly doesn’t look their way either.</p>
<p class="p1">Penny looks back to Ruby.“I’m ready when you are,” she whispers.</p>
<p class="p1">Ruby can only nod.She reaches down and tentatively undoes the buttons of Penny’s dress.She slides the straps off Penny’s shoulders.Ruby hesitates, and looks to Penny, who nods her permission.Ruby removes Penny’s blouse.With a specialized screwdriver, she detaches her friend’s chest plate and carefully places it aside. </p>
<p class="p1">Ruby takes a deep breath.“Okay, where do I start?”</p>
<p class="p1">It’s hard, and Ruby is terrified she’ll make a critical error and that will be the end of Penny, but her hands remain steady as she works.She welds together the cracked halves of one of Penny’s metal ribs.She stares down at the complex web of processors, blinking lights, and cables that somehow make up Penny’s functionality, and adjusts their misaligned circuits according to Penny’s instructions.</p>
<p class="p1">Finally, Ruby finds herself gazing at a canister glowing an almost blinding, green light.Penny’s core.The essence of her being.Everything she is.A visual representation of her soul.And Ruby’s fingertips are just millimeters from it.</p>
<p class="p1">“It’s okay,” Penny whispers.“I don’t mind if you touch it,” she says without opening her eyes.At the start of the repairs process, she’d closed them.Though, while Penny is in her ‘maintenance’ mode, she doesn’t feel anything, she still doesn’t like seeing herself opened up.</p>
<p class="p1">Ruby doesn’t.She can’t bring herself to.Her eyes wander down to where two cables have been disconnected—<em>yanked</em>—from the core’s canister.It would have taken a <em>truly</em> hard hit to—</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>The flying beringel takes hold of Floating Array’s cords.With a mighty roar, the Grimm yanks.Ruby hears the scream and the sickening crack.She sees Penny’s prone body falling through the air, toward the arms of those who seek to capture the Winter Maiden.</em>
</p>
<p class="p1">
  <em>Ruby cries out.She feels her eyes begin to turn a millisecond before the world turns silver.She propels herself off the ground with Crescent Rose.Catches Penny.Runs.</em>
</p>
<p class="p2"> </p>
<p class="p1">“Ruby.”Penny’s soft voice brings her back to the present.“We’re almost done.It’ll be okay.”</p>
<p class="p1">“I know.”Ruby’s voice cracks.“I…I just don’t want to lose you.”<em>Again.</em></p>
<p class="p1">Penny opens her eyes to meet Ruby’s gaze.“You won’t,” she says with certainty.“We’ve gotten so little time to be friends again.I promise to never leave you alone until we’ve gotten lots of time to ‘hang out’ and ‘go to movies’ and ‘gossip’ and do everything friends do.”Penny’s expression saddens.“I don’t want to leave you until we’ve experienced all the wonderful things we can together.”Her lips press into a determined line.“I <em>won’t</em>.<em>”</em></p>
<p class="p1">“That’s my girl,” Ruby shakily responds.She takes a breath to ground herself and then, as carefully as possible, reattaches the cables to their proper places on the canister.</p>
<p class="p1">Penny inhales sharply, and then exhales easily.Her first breath that comes naturally since the beringel pulled her out of the sky.</p>
<p class="p1">“Thank you, Ruby.”</p>
<p class="p1">Ruby keeps her hands from trembling through the process of putting everything back into place.She gets through fastening the last of the buttons.The first tear falls from her cheek.Then, Ruby is sobbing.</p>
<p class="p1">Penny sits up.She pulls Ruby into her arms and hugs her close.She lacks the physical ability to cry, but she sobs regardless.</p>
<p class="p1">Neither says anything.They’re just glad to be alive, together.</p>
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